Kerala Footballer Leaves Own Wedding 'For 5 Minutes' to Play Match, Impresses Sports Minister

While cold feet before a wedding may be common, a Kerala groom took it to an unexpected new height: He asked his bride "for five minutes" and slipped off to play a football match.

Ridwan, who is a player in Malappuram's 7s league as a FIFA Manjeri defender, took a bizarredecision, as the footballer had the tough choice between his own wedding ceremony or a football match.

And contrary to convention, Ridwan picked the latter.

When Ridwan decided he was going to the football match, he told his bride, "Excuse me for five minutes" and went off to the 7's match.

Talk Sports 24x7 reported that Ridwan's team won the match, and he played an integral part in the win.

However, the bride and her family were not too pleased about Ridwan's actions.

“So if the game was at noon, would you cancel the marriage for the game?” the bride was quoted saying.

However, not everyone was appalled at the footballer's decision. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, the Minister of Department of Sports in India, lauded Ridwan's actions.

The Minister took to Twitter to say that he was impressed by the footballer's actions, and said that he would like to meet the man.

Ridvan asked 5 minutes from his bride on his wedding day to play football! What passion!I want to meet him! #5MinuteAur #KheloIndiahttps://t.co/BLLvpPr715

— Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) January 25, 2019

The football association also put out a post congratulating the Ridwan, and wishing him a happy married life ahead.